One of my best friends and my bridesmaids, Mikako, was going back to Koyasan where her parents and brother's family live. The temple her family owns and runs is called "蓮花院 (Rengein)" and it has 1,200 years of history.
After hearing her plan for the long weekend, I decided to go back to Osaka as well. It'd be ideal if we could go and explore Mt. Koya and could visit Mikako at the same time! Also, I always wanted to take Zach to Mount Koya as it is known as the world headquarter of Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism and is registered as one of the World Heritage Sites in 2004 by UNESCO. A must-see place if you were in Japan, don't you think?
It's about 1 hr. 40 mins. train ride from Osaka to Koyasan. We stopped at a convenience store at the station and look what we found there!
Pepsi Strong Shot!
We took the train to the end of the line - to the station called "極楽橋 (Gokurakubashi)" which means "Paradise bridge", and then took a cable car to the top of the mountain.
Single track connecting the top and the bottom
The track forks into two for letting the trains pass. The trains must be running on a tight schedule!
Steep stairs inside a cable car
I was planning to walk to Mikako's family's temple until... I saw the sign board which said "3 km to 大門 (Daimon)" which stands right in the half way to the temple. We made a quick and sharp turn towards the bus stop by the station.
Right before 1 p.m., we arrived at the temple. Mikako took us to the room which Tokugawa Ieyasu had used about 400 years ago, who was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan which lasted from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
"精進料理 (Shojin-ryori)", which is Buddhist cuisine, was prepared for us and set up in the magnificent room.
A room with a history
This is the room which Tokugawa Ieyasu used to meet his guests. He sat where the eagle statue is sitting now. His body guards stayed behind the sliding doors.
Fabulous meal in a fabulous room!
Very authentic Shojin-ryori
Everything was DELICIOUS!
After lunch, we took a walk to 金剛峰寺 (Kongobu-ji) which is the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon Buddhism with Mikako as our personal tour guide.
Our tour guide, Mikako, and Zach
The air is filled with natural scents in the shine.
A pond with a story
This is the pond where Mikako's brother stole a fish when he was a little boy. He caught a big one, however, he was found by a priest or guard of this temple when he was about to bring the fish home. The priest yelled, "Who's stealing a fish?! You little brat!". Though he had started running, her brother answered truthfully to this priest's inquiry, "I'm a son of the priest at Rengein temple!". Of course, the priest called his family right away.. His family, who was shocked to hear that their son stole a fish from the neighboring temple, told him to return the fish to where it came from with an apology.. It is such a cute story of a boy who is now a fine priest!
Beautiful light pouring on the temple
Push! Push! Push!
Zach and Mikako are trying to turn the building. It's hard. It is said that a good fortune will come if you can turn it. With two people, we could not move it. With three, we could not move it. I went to ask a man for help who was walking towards us. With four, we could move it!
There's a wall. There's Zach. So there's a man on the wall.
As a daughter of the priest family, Mikako looked a little confused... But she let us do what we had to do...
Thanks, Mikako, for everything! We had a great time in Mount Koya and at your family temple "蓮花院 (Rengein)"!
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